Posted on 06/15/2021 2:26:30 AM PDT by Libloather
A Virginia couple on Monday became the third and fourth defendants to plead guilty in the sprawling investigation stemming from the Capitol riot in January.
However, Jessica and Joshua Bustle of Bristow, Va., became the first to plead guilty in federal court who faced only misdemeanor charges as a result of their actions at the Capitol as lawmakers were attempting to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral college victory.
Under a deal with prosecutors, the Bustles each pleaded guilty to one of the four misdemeanor charges they faced: parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. They could get up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000, but will be spared the potential of back-to-back sentences on multiple counts.
The arrangement could serve as a template for hundreds of other misdemeanor-only cases filed related to the Jan. 6 events. Defense attorneys say it also suggests that prosecutors will not readily agree to more lenient resolutions in Capitol riot cases, such as deferring the case and dismissing it following a period of good behavior.
“There’s no guarantee what the sentence will be in this case,” Judge Thomas Hogan told the Bustles during the afternoon hearing, conducted by videoconference. “I can give a sentence that’s legal up to the maximum in the statute: six months.”
According to a complaint filed by an FBI agent in March, Jessica Bustle posted on her Facebook page on Jan. 6: “Pence is a traitor. We stormed the capital. An unarmed peaceful woman down the hall from us was shot in the neck by cops. It’s insane here….Pray for America!!!!”
In another post, Jessica Bustle - who said she’s opposed to taking the coronavirus vaccine - indicated she and her husband were attending a “health freedom” rally...
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Juuuuust a little outside of insurrection.
Ya think?
Remember the very common technique used by prosecutors at all levels, get the ‘small-fry’ first, delay actual sentencing, get them to ‘turn’ into prosecution sources & witnesses for better sentencing. Thus the prosecutors work their way up to the big fish and hard cases.
I won’t be surprised if they get the maximum.
It is best that we learn to expect No Mercy from the Garland DOJ.
They paraded?! How dare they, off with their heads!
How exactly did these things get to be violations?
This is total BS. The FBI monitors speech on Facebook AND ACTS ON IT????
That assumes there ARE big fish.
They later decided to check out what was happening at the Capitol, she wrote. “My husband and I just WALKED right in with tons of other people.”
More information warfare from the criminal, democrat party media.
It's safe to assume they're monitoring FR as well.
To make a legal case form Facebook posting is not in the pursue of the FIB unless it is a direct physical threat to someone. This is not the case/
A little off subject but anyone know if the fencing is still up around the capital?
What would a hard case be in this instance?
Singing The National Anthem?
This is a disgrace, but it's what I've come to expect from the gummint.
If only they had collaborated to destroy their home town.. instead of parading around the capitol thinking bad thoughts about the government..they would be heros.
She said in her FB post, “We stormed the capital.” The post wasn’t the crime, but an admission to committing the crime. Law enforcement routinely searches FB and other social media for evidence of the commission of crimes. It’s actually good police work.
By the time sentencing comes around, it should be time served
Why didn't the following scofflaws get the same sentencing? Why weren't they held for months without trial?
None are a crime. In fact, they’re rights.
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